Legacy
by Jaryn Frostwing
Summary: An epic story of the lives of a few young adventurers as they make a name for themselves in the land of azeroth. High quality dedicated writing. Please review. It helps me improve :D


Chapter 1

A moderate fog hung in the air of Moonbrook early in the morning as the dawn went nearly unnoticed as clouds blocked the sun and the land was lit merely by what light was able to filter through the heavy canopy of the sky. A warm breeze rustling dead and struggling shrubs was all that could be heard, for Moonbrook had been all but abandoned. Once it had been a bustling town, the heart of the farmlands called Westfall. But the town had been long ago abandoned by its citizens. All but a few of the more hardy farmers had fled to the safety of Stormwind to the east and now the land was overrun by murlocs and the vicious Defias Brotherhood. Under the leadership of Edwin VanCleef their power had grown and their reach had spread deep into Elwynn Forest.

This particular morning would be different than all the rest. Five young adventurers were poised on the edge of the derelict town, surveying the quiet scene before them. The leader of the band was a tall human with dark black hair and a short, well kept beard and mustache. His eyes were dark blue and his skin was a light tan. He had a strong, sturdy build and was an impressive force to be reckoned with in battle. In his left hand he held a wooden shield and in his right, a broad well made sword.

"Garret are you ready to go?" the young mage standing next to him asked.

"Just wait a few minutes longer Jayce," he answered as he looked down at the eager mage. Jayce was several years younger than Garret and was relatively new to the magical arts, but his eagerness to learn seemed to make up for his inexperience. Jayce was almost a foot shorter than Garret and had dark black hair. His eyes were a vivid green and his skin was very light. He came from the far northern lands and was not so accustomed to the sun as the others, so he wore a light robe that covered most of his body.

The rest of the party came from odd backgrounds as well. There was Talaena, a young druidess that hailed from the city of Nighthaven deep in the Moonglade. Her hair was a dark blue color that matched her pale blue skin and was highly in tune with the natural forces around her.

The shortest member of the party was a constantly curious gnome named Mivvy. He was an engineer by trade and like Jayce he studied the magical arts common to those that called themselves mages. Mivvy was a curiosity from the north and was older than all but Talaena. He had lived in Gnomeregan before the grand betrayal that had ousted him and his people from their beloved homeland and forced them to live in the recesses of Ironforge. He had scraggly white hair and bright brown eyes that always seemed to be fixated on the nearest shiny thing.

The final member of the small band was Karra, a priestess that had trained at the cathedral in Stormwind since early childhood. She wore bright white robes and carried a staff at her side. Her eyes were a piercing emerald green and her bright blond hair fell past her shoulders.

Garret nodded slightly as he surveyed the town below once again. A few of the Defias stood watch, but none of them had been alert enough to notice the five assassins lurking on the hillside.

"Alright… " Garret said finally, "now's the time. We'll sneak around the schoolhouse and slip into their base while the guards aren't looking."

Jayce and the others nodded quietly and began descending the side of the hill. Within moments they were behind the school house, and Mivvy was peering around the edge of the building with a strange scope fitted with mirrors that he had created.

"They're gone," he said as he placed the scope back in his pack and checked to see that his wand was still strapped to his belt.

"Good, we should seize the moment," Talaina remarked. She peered around the side of the building herself, then darted into the small side door of the building across the road. The others soon followed and found themselves in a poorly lit room with crates and ropes lying around.

"This used to be part of a warehouse for the harbor before the murlocs shut it down," Karra said quietly as the five of them made their way up the stairs and across a poorly fashioned bridge.

"The defias definitely blew this cave out to make this entrance," Mivvy said. "If we're lucky they'll have some explosives lying around we can make off with."

"Alright but don't forget what we're here for," Garret answered with a quiet chuckle.

"Right right, of course, work first, bombs later," Mivvy replied, then quieter under his breath muttered something about Garret's priorities being in the wrong place.

"What was that?" Garret asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing, just watching for sentries," Mivvy quickly replied as he followed Jayce and Garret deeper into the caverns. Softly burning candles lit the way, and in the distance they could hear the constant noise of picks striking mineral veins in the walls.

"I thought you said they blew these caverns out?" Talaena asked as she gazed down at the little gnome.

"Well yes, you can tell by the shape of the damage to the walls. They must have uncovered something nice in the process. It's a shame the dwarves haven't come down here to mine it out. Oh the things we could create with more raw materials!" He almost shouted with glee.

"Mivvy! Keep it down!" Karra snapped as she heard a voice in the distance.

"There's a patrol coming," Talaena said in a whisper. "At least two of them, maybe three. I don't think they've heard us, but they're definitely getting closer."

"Alright, be ready then," Garret instructed calmly. "Try to make clean kills. We'll want to use their uniforms."

"Alright…" Jayce answered quietly as he mentally reviewed his abilities. The five of them ducked into a corner and waited breathlessly as the sound of footsteps drew closer, and finally two men and a woman dressed in red and black passed the alcove.

"Now!" Garret shouted as he tackled the nearest guard and punched him hard in the side of the head. He grabbed him firmly as the man recoiled and tried to draw his sword, but Garret was too quick. He head butted him and then slammed him roughly into the wall. The man groaned and slumped to the ground. The other two soldiers were quickly dispatched by a sharp blow to the head from Karra's staff and Talaena's mace.

"Good work," Garret commended. A moment later there was a muffled squeal and the quiet pop of a burst of fire. Everyone quickly turned to face the source of the noise, only to see a very pleased looking Mivvy picking up a charred rat by the tail and lowering it into his backpack. Upon seeing the four taller humanoids staring down at him he fastened the bag shut again.

"…what?" he asked, looking completely at ease. "Its free food!"

Garret just shook his head and set about the process of changing into the uniforms of the fallen defias soldiers. Soon Garret, Karra, and Talaena were dressed in defias garb with Jayce and Mivvy tagging along at a slight distance.

"Well we'll see how well this works…" Jayce commented as he spotted a closed door and a large ogre standing guard in front of it. Garret simply gripped his shield and sword tightly and walked out of the tunnel with the rest of the party following close behind him.

"You no look familiar…" the ogre mumbled as he studied them.

"We were here five minutes ago," Garret lied boldly. "You just don't have a brain in your head."

"Five minute ago?" the ogre asked.

"Yes, now let us through. Gilnid will be very cross with you if we don't bring this gnome to him. He's the new engineer we hired on from the north."

"Oh okay," the ogre said and looked a bit sheepish as he pulled the heavy door open and let the small party through unhindered. The story worked well as they traveled deeper into the enemy lair.

"There's a lot of construction going on in here…" Jayce remarked as he studied a goblin in a large machine cutting up large logs while woodworkers diligently chipped chunks away from a second large tree and a mast was slowly taking shape.

Mivvy seemed almost beside himself as he studied the shredder from afar, but after a light prodding from Karra's staff to the back of his head he gave up the idea of studying it closer.

As the party entered the next chamber, a blast of warm air washed over them. A large smelting facility was in full gear and dozens of goblins were hard at work with mechanical helpers aiding them as they crafted weapons and other devices. Mivvy looked up at Karra who simply shook her head and looked back up at the path ahead. He scowled slightly and grumbled as he nearly walked into Jayce from behind. A particularly large goblin was blocking the way, and he had two lackies standing beside him, all three were armed and there would be no sneaking past them.

"What business do you have here?" Gilnid asked in a raspy voice.

"This is my brother," Garret said as he motioned to Jayce. "He wishes to join the brotherhood so I've brought him to see Master VanCleef."

"Alright whatever, just get him out of my factory," he said as he opened the door. He cast a spiteful gaze at Mivvy. "And if you ever bring a gnome through here again I swear I'll throw him into the pot with ore!"

Mivvy glared back but was quickly prodded along the path again by a sharp rap from Karra's staff. He looked up at her and stuck out his tongue, then looked forward again.

"We're getting close," Talaena said as she turned her head slightly and saw Gilnid whispering orders to his two lackies. The two smaller goblins quickly scurried away from the direction the adventurers had come. "and our foes are beginning to grow suspicious of our presence…" she warned.

"Alright," Garret answered. "Just stick with the plan…"

Moments later the party was in an open cavern, looking out at a large, heavily armed boat. Soon it would be ready to sail and the coastal city of Menethil harbor would be overrun by Defias, effectively cutting off the Alliance's only harbor that could reach the distant lands of the Night Elves. After that, only by staying in the good graces of the goblins of Booty Bay would the Alliance be able to charter ships.

"He'll be on the boat," Karra said quietly as they made their way past over a dozen pirates that lingered on the docks.

"Trouble ahead…" Jayce mumbled as he spotted a massive dark furred Tauren standing at the gangplank to the boat.

"Avast! What business have ye here?" Quartermaster Smite bellowed as the five of them approached.

"Our business is our own," Garret snapped back as he gazed into the bull's eyes with an intense look on his face.

"No one comes aboard without good reason!" Smite growled. His tail lashed back in forth in agitation and his grip tightened on the shaft of his mace noticeably.

"Fine," Garret said sharply. "We're here to see Van Cleef. My brother wants to join up."

"He's yer brother?" Smite asked, eyeing Jayce suspiciously. "Ya don't look alike at all."

"Mr. Smite! Mr. Smite!" A man yelled from across the cavern. "Three guards have been killed at the entrance to the base!"

"What?" Smite bellowed and took a swing with his heavy mace at Garret. Garret barely managed to deflect the mace on his shield as a slight buzz filled the air as one of Karra's holy shields popped into existence around him. It would shield him from harm for a few moments he knew. Immediately the others flew into action. Jayce and Mivvy raised their hands and together they blew two blasts of fire over the bulky tauren, singing his fur and causing him to bellow in pain. Enraged the tauren swung his mace around and struck swept the two mages off their feet. Mivvy was thrown into the water off the edge of the dock and quickly swam toward the shore. Meanwhile Talaena was mumbling words in Darnassian and a bright green aura whirled around Jayce and then Mivvy as the two of them felt their strength starting to return. With one great effort Garret slammed his shield sharply into the tauren's head and then brought his sword around, opening his enemy's throat. Blood splashed out and the tauren let out a feeble groan as it fell to the ground with a loud crash and faded into death.

"Hurry! They'll overtake us in seconds!" Talaena warned as she reached down off the dock and grabbed Mivvy from the water. Moments later she lobbed Mivvy up into the air, and with a terrifying roar she had become a massive and deadly bear. Mivvy landed atop her back and yelped in surprise as she took off in a wild charge with Garret beside her and the other two humans following closely behind. The raced up the gangplank and slammed into a small crowd of pirates. Taken off guard they fell quickly to Garret's sword and Talaena's massive paws.

"Woo yeah!" Mivvy cheered as he fired a bolt of frost into a charging pirate's chest and watched the force of the impact knock him from the ship and into the water below.

"Hold it right there!" Captain Greenskin yelled as he leapt down from the upper deck.

"Stand aside or perish!" Garret ordered. Greenskin snarled and leapt forward with his polearm, attempting to lance Garret through the heart. Garret parried the blow with his sword and charged in on the Goblin. Greenskin was ready though and whipped his spear, striking Garret's legs with the shaft. He grunted loudly as the impact threw him off balance and he clattered to the ground. Talaena quickly leapt to his aid and pinned Greenskin to the ground beneath her massive paws. Being a gnome, Mivvy had a distinct dislike of all goblins in general, so a moment later the tiny mage perched atop the bear's back let loose a howl as fire exploded from his hands and erupted in Greenskin's face, killing him instantly.

"Behind you!" Mivvy warned as he looked back and saw four pirates charging up the ramp toward Karra and Jayce. Jayce quickly jumped out in front of Karra.

"Turn back or die!" Jayce warned, then focused all of his energy and cried out as a blast of arcane energy exploded from his body and knocked the pirates back. Two of them were blown off the side of the ramp and into the water below, and the others turned to flee, knowing that they would perish if they pressed the five invaders further. Garret was on his feet by now and grabbed Greenskin's spear. He hurled it up into the small crowd of pirates waiting at the top of the ramp. It had the desired effect. One pirate fell to the ground with a cry of pain as the spear punched into his chest, and the rest scattered in fear as Garret charged up the ramp toward them with his sword raised.

"Enough of this!" A voice rang out from the top deck as the party arrived at their destination. Standing with four guards of his own was Edwin VanCleef.

"VanCleef, by the order of Stoutmantle we are here for your life." Garret announced coldly.

"Fools, all of you!" VanCleef yelled as he and his guards attacked. The soldiers were well trained, but they were not accustomed to fighting such a varied sort of foe. Jayce and Mivvy quickly downed one of them with several well placed bolts of fire, but this of course drew the attention of the other three guards. Two of them charged at the two mages, but this proved to be their undoing. Karra threw a holy shield up around them both, and before the two warriors could punch through the shield, Talaena snuck up behind them and killed them both with two crushing blows to the head from her mace.

"Surrender now and we'll take you back alive," Garret growled at VanCleef as the final of his guards was slain from a magical holy attack from Karra.

"Never!" VanCleef yelled as he shoved Garret back and brought his sword down swiftly. Garret staggered back and was fortunate that VanCleef's wounds threw off his aim. The sword clanged against the armor on his shoulders and dented them slightly, but moments later VanCleef's body slumped against Garret and then fell to the ground as burns from several fireballs from the two mages singed him to the core.

"We need to get out of here," Talaena urged as Karra quickly searched VanCleef's body and took his bloodstained insignia ring and his sword as proof of his death.

"There's a lot of pirates and the goblins as well coming from the way we came." Jayce warned as he came back from the edge of the boat.

"There's another way out on the other side of the cavern," Mivvy said. "We'll go that way."

The five of them quickly leapt down to the lower deck and started toward the bridge.

"Looks like we should be able to get out just fine now…." Karra said as she hurried across the rope bridge with the others. Just after they passed a small campground they stopped when they heard a very unsettling noise.

"MRRLGGRRRRGRRR!" Someone yelled from behind them. They turned and braced themselves as a very large murloc charged up toward them with a rolling pin in one hand and a large stirring rod in the other. Karra, who was in the back, yelped and cowered away from the beast, but before it could reach them, a glowing ball of the wrath of nature brushed past her and slammed into the Murloc. It rolled head over heels once and then laid on the ground stunned.

"Alright lets get out of here!" Garret hollered and charged toward the mouth of the cave. Karra lagged behind for a moment, then joined the others at the mouth of the cave.

"They won't follow us now…" Garret said as he looked out over the dead grasses of Westfall. A light rain began to fall and the fog had cleared since they had entered the mines an hour earlier. Soon they would be safe at the stronghold of Sentinel Hill.


End file.
